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Papers could become shorter and more obtuse, with content moved to appendices. ‘Pre-prints’ might never be published and instead would be squirrelled away on personal websites — dodging peer review. A new type of predatory journal that falsified word limits could stoke demand and become pervasive.

Research collaborations would decline. Supervisors would leave their names off papers, relying on the force of association to boost their reputation. And graduate students could have their lifetime word limits exploited, particularly if they do not continue with an academic career (see Nature550, 429; 2017).